But Slightly Different
by Caithrine Glidewell
Summary: Peter and Olivia have finaly put their relationship back together, but will the most unexpected obstacle of all drive them apart again? Their 14 year old daughter? Post Subject 13
1. Chapter 1

**Jacksonville, Florida**

Its late at night and a teenager trips and stumbles in an abandoned area she doesn't realize. She's confused but she keeps walking until she reaches a gate with a chain and lock on it. The chain is broken and she pushes her way through.

Her vision wavers as she makes her way towards a building, the only shelter in the rain that has begun. She stumbles inside of the empty building and looks at the darkened room. There are cartoons of trees and monkeys painted on the walls. It looks like a daycare. She notices a height chart on the wall. The name Olive D. is the last thing she sees before everything goes black.

**Jacksonville Police Department**

"Hey Doug," An officer calls from his desk.

"Yeah, what do you got?" The other officer asks, stepping out of the break room with a can of Pepsi in his hand.

"We've got a trespassing alert at the old military base."

Doug sighs, "Probably just some stupid kid. Lets go."

The cops get into a police car and make their way down to the base. The go inside the building shining their flashlights around the inside. Doug goes farther down the hall as the first cop assesses the main area. He walks into another room and shining his light around, it falls on a girl collapsed on the floor. He drops to his knees next to her.

"Andrew get in here!" He yells. He rolls the girl over and tries to assess her state.

As Andrew gets there, he gasps, "We should get an ambulance here."

"Make the call," Doug says urgently. The girl opens her eyes to the bright flashlight shining in her eyes, "Andrew," he says, putting his hand up to get his attention, "She's waking up."

He gets on his knees next to the girl, "Are you okay?"

The girl blinks against the harsh light, "Wh-where am I?"

**Back at the Police Department**

**The girl sat at a table in an interview room after she'd been cleaned up and gotten some sleep. She slouched in her chair, arms crossed against her chest as she stared incredulously at the two way mirror.**

**A second later one of the cops came in and set a pad of yellow paper on the metal table between them, "In case you don't remember I'm-"**

"**Andrew," the girl cut him off, "I know."**

"**Um," The officer froze for a second at her abruptness, but it was likely that a teenager who was most likely a druggy wouldn't be cooperative, "Ok. Well lets start with your name."**

**She took a heavy annoyed breath, "Elizabeth."**

"**You got a last name Elizabeth?" Andrew asked.**

**She looked at him finally, with a cocky smile, and raised her eyebrows as if to say "well that's for you to find out.'**

**Andrew was getting mildly annoyed, "Ok. Well, do you want to tell me what you were doing at the base last night?"**

**Elizabeth bit her lip, "Okay, look. I may be a teenager, but I'm not stupid. I'm not telling you a thing until I get to contact my father."**

**He leaned back in his chair, "Fine. And your parents names are…?"**

**She looked away again, her face going blank, "Peter Bishop and Olivia Dunham."**


	2. Chapter 2

**Boston, Massachusetts**

Olivia stood in the center of the lab, in front of one of Walter's computers, playing with her tablet. Peter came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck softly.

Olivia squirmed a little bit, "Be careful, Bishop. I have to work." Peter chuckled darkly and began to suck on her shoulder. "Peter," Olivia shrieked, turning around, dropping the tablet.

"You can't take a break," Peter whispered and leaned down, kissing Olivia passionately.

Olivia broke the kiss, "Peter we can't do this here," she laughed.

"Who says," Peter whispered, kissing her again.

"Come on, Walter will be back any minute," She smiled at him.

"I just got off the phone with him, he's still in New York."

Olivia smiled at him, her eyes becoming almost daring. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her again. She stumbled backwards a little until she hit the table. Peter pushed her tab and a pile of papers aside and hoisted her up onto it, resting his hands on her hips. He began kissing down her neck as her phone rang.

Peter froze, and came back up as Olivia pulled her cell out of her pocket. He leaned his head back in frustration.

"Dunham," She answered. There was a pause as Broyles responded, "Yes sir."

Peter took his hand off her hips and went to grab their jackets.

"Jacksonville?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, I'll tell you more on the plane," he said abruptly.

"Yes sir," she said, and looked at Peter, smiling.

"And Dunham?"

"Yes," Olivia bit her lip as Peter smiled back at her.

"Why are you breathing heavy?"

Olivia's smile dropped, "No reason," she said quickly, shaking her head, "We'll be there in five," and she hung up.

Peter leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss, handing her jacket over to her. She hopped down from the table.

"What did Broyles ask you," Peter asked, a confused crease between his eyebrows.

"Nothing," Olivia said, shaking her head and walking out.

**

* * *

**

Logan International Airport, Private Tarmac

Peter and Olivia walked onto the tarmac and saw Broyles standing next to a small private Massive Dynamic plane.

"Walter's not coming?" Peter asked as they reached Broyles.

"He hasn't been informed. This is between you two," Broyles said. Peter and Olivia looked at each other in confusion, "get on the plane."

They got on the plane and settled in for take off. Peter put his hand on Olivia's, but she pulled it away before Broyles could see. It had slipped Peter's mind that they weren't going to tell anyone yet. They weren't in a place to.

Broyles at down in his seat and Olivia leaned forward, "So what's going on here?"

Broyles let out a heavy breath, "I know you don't need another rift in your relationship right now, but we've got a situation."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked, leaning forward.

"Last night a teenage girl was found, passed out, inside the Jacksonville Cortexiphan testing facility."

"Okay…" Olivia said confused.

"The cops assumed she was just a druggy trespassing on the site, but when they picked her up and questioned her, she wouldn't talk. She requested to contact her parents."

"What does that have to do with us?' Peter asked.

"She said her parents are Peter Bishop and Olivia Dunham."


	3. Chapter 3

Peter and Olivia stood on the other side of the one-way mirror, looking in on the girl sitting in the interview room.

Olivia turned to Peter, "Who is this girl?"

"I have no idea. I'm pretty sure that's why we're here though, Olivia," He told her. She seemed on edge.

"Well you should go in," She told him.

Peter looked at her in confusion, "You're not going in?"

"She requested her father specifically," Olivia explained, "For some reason I have a feeling that if we give her what she wants, we'll get more."

"Uh… Okay," He said, nodding his head and setting his coffee down on the table.

He walked into the room and saw the girl staring blankly at the empty walls. "Elizabeth?" He asked as he shut the door.

She turned to look at him, her hand dropping, from here her chin hand been resting on it, into her lap. She gave a soft, humorless chuckle, shaking her head, "Well…" she raised her eyebrows, "If I'd known getting picked up by the police was enough to get you here from Iraq, I would have done it a lot sooner."

Peter decided to play along, crossing his arms on his chest and remembering back to the man he had been in Iraq, "Pay attention to what you say Elizabeth. You know these rooms are wired. Don't say anything that will compromise me. Or you."

Elizabeth scoffed and turned her head away again, "Nothing changes with you. Why'd you even come?"

"To knock some sense into you. You can't be this reckless," Peter said harshly.

The girl looked shocked as her head snapped back towards him, "Ugh… You leave me And mom for months. You don't call, you don't send mail. Who knows what the hell you're doing this time. You're calling me reckless."

"I can take care of myself," Peter snapped darkly.

She pursed her lips and her voice lowered to a normal tone, "You're right, you can. But you never cared to take care of me or Olivia."

Something clicked in Peter's head. He took a step towards the girl, "Elizabeth, what date did the twin towers fall?"

The girl looked confused, "What the fuck does it matter-"

"Answer the question," Peter thundered.

Elizabeth paused, "The West Tower fell on September 11th, 2001. The same day the Pentagon was hit. Olivia works in the East Tower and has for years. Why the hell are you asking?"

Peter paused. Suddenly he knew where this girl was from. Peter stormed out of the interview room and found Broyles in the hallway, "I want that girl on a plane to Boston. Now. And I need Walter back at the lab when we return."


	4. Chapter 4

"You think what?" Astrid asked as Peter explained his theory to her.

"I think this girl, Elizabeth, is from another universe. Not our world, not the other side, but a third universe."

"What makes you think this?" Walter asked.

Peter turned to him, "I asked her when the twin towers fell. She said only one of them fell. And that the Pentagon was hit. It doesn't match what happened here or on the Other Side."

"Interesting," He whispered, "Can I meet her?"

"No Walter, "Olivia said, stepping in. Peter hadn't heard her say a word since he'd went in to interview the girl in Jacksonville. "Not until we speak to her again. We're still trying to make her believe that we are her parents."

Peter looked at his watch, "Speaking of which, we should go. We're supposed to see her at the federal building."

Peter and Olivia left the lab and drove to the Boston Federal building. When Olivia got out of the car, Peter stopped her.

"Olivia, are you okay," He asked, touching her arm hesitantly. Olivia just looked down and didn't respond. Peter shifted his weight, "Look Olivia, I know this is a lot to be thrown at us right now. If you want to put us on hold. Or pretend like nothing hap-"

"That's not it," Olivia rushed to say. She took a deep breath.

Peter's eyebrows scrunched in confusion, "Then what is it?"

"Its just a little… disconcerting."

"What is?"

Olivia licked her lips and wrapped her arms tighter around herself, "She looks exactly like me. She looks _exactly_ like I did as a teenager. Almost as if she could _be_ me."

A memory of when Olivia had told him when and how her mom died dawned on him, "Olivia-"

"We should get inside," she said, and that was the end of that. She headed towards the building.

When they went inside, they were told that Olivia was being held in Olivia's office, supervised by an agent.

They stood outside the frosted glass door. Olivia nodded at it and Peter went in. He dismissed the agent and sat down in a chair across from Elizabeth.

"You're still here," she said tonelessly.

"I'm your father," Peter said.

"And that's made such a difference before," She shook her head, "We're in Boston now. Why isn't mom here?"

Peter weighed his answer before giving it, "I told her to stay home," Peter paused then leaned forward in his chair, "Elizabeth-"

"Why are you still calling me that? Until today you haven't called me that since France," She questioned, finally looking at him.

"Elizabeth is what you told them," he countered, nodding at the door, "They've brought you to the FBI. We can't slip up."

"_We_. Wow been a long time since I heard that one," She turned away from him again.

Peter sat back in his chair, "Elizabeth, I want you to tell me about your family.'

"Why Peter?" Peter had to admit it stung a little bit that if this was his daughter, she called him by his first name.

"Just do it. Tell me what you remember. Tell me about before the way mom told you," Peter threw in the last part hoping it wouldn't mess up his angle, blow his cover.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and began to speak, "This is stupid," she shook her head, "You and mom… You met at a daycare when you were eight. Walter… He owned it or something. He told me once about trying to pair you two up fro some reason. He was always so vague," She laughed, "Well more high than vague.

"Either way, you two became friends. Were inseparable. God hasn't that changed," She scoffed again and closed her eyes.

"Keep going Elizabeth," Peter said a little harsher than necessary. He knew now that whatever universe she was from, Olivia had also been experimented on and he had also been stolen.

"You grew up together. Fell in love.

"But everything changed when she got pregnant with me. You left. You just left us. You knew what Olivia had gone through with her stepfather and you went and did the same to me," She stopped for her second and he could tell she was swallowing back tears. It looked so similar to the way he'd seen Olivia do it a hundred times.

She looked Peter in the eyes, "You know she named me just to spite you. _Rini. She knew you'd think it was stupid. Its exactly why she did it._

"_Now I'm pretty sure you know the rest, so why don't we just cut the crap."_

"_Fine," Peter said huskily, "Then I'm going to tell you the truth. I am not your father. And if I were I would never treat you like that."_

_The girl, Elizabeth or Rini or whatever exactly her real name was, was dumbfounded for a second, "What are you talking about?"_

"_If your grandfather is anything like my father, and if your mother works where my Olivia does, then this wont sound all that insane to you," Peter paused before going on, "You're from another universe. Not here. I have no idea how, but you crossed here. To another lace that is exactly like your world but a little different. A place where Olivia and I met as children, but were separated. We've just now found each other again and I would never hurt her the way you've relayed to me."_

_Her eyes suddenly looked solemn, "Am I on the other side?"_

"_Not your other side. If you were, I wouldn't be here."_

"_How could you know that?" The girl's voice cracked, and he could tell she was afraid. Whatever this girl had been told by her mother or grandfather of the 'Other Side' terrified her._

_Peter took a deep breath, running his hand across mouth, "Its complicated. I cant explain it to you here," He got up and gently placed a hand on Rini's, "I'm gonna get you out of here, hold on tight."_

_Peter walked out of the room. He saw Olivia, Broyles, Astrid, and a social worker huddled around._

"_What's going on?" Peter asked walking up to them._

_They all looked up at him but Broyles was the one to speak up, "We can't continue to hold her here," he explained, "There are no official charges."_

"_Okay that's good," Peter said._

_Broyles let out a breath, "Actually I need to speak to you and Olivia for a moment. In my office."_

"_Okay," Peter said hesitantly and followed Broyles and Olivia._

_Once the door was shut, Broyles turned to them and spoke, "We have an interesting situation. She's not even suppose to exist. We can't exactly just send her off with a social worker."_

"_And?" Peter asked._

_Broyles paused, "She claims you are her parents. One of you is going to have to take custody-"_

"_Your joking," Olivia burst._

"_I'm afraid not."_

"_There's no way."_

"_Olivia," Peter reproached, a little surprised at her reaction._

"_We can't hold her here. One of you is going to have to take her. And that's an order," Broyles announced harshly._

_There was a sudden silence in the room, "I'll take her," Peter said, breaking it._

_Olivia looked at him without a word._

"_Fine," Broyles said, "I'll prepare the paperwork."_

_Broyles walked out of the office leaving Peter ad Olivia alone._

_After a moment, Olivia crossed he arms and took a few steps forward._

"_Olivia," Peter began, "One of us had to do it."_

_Olivia bit her lip, "I just wish this wasn't happening now," She looked at him and her expression made his heart break._

"_Olivia, this doesn't have to be an obstacle for us. She's a teenager, she can handle herself," Peter said._

"_But she's still there. You're going to have to deal with her. You and I are just putting ourselves back together, and now something else is going to come between us," She spoke quickly._

_Peter stepped forward and put his hands on her arms, lowering himself to her eye level, "Olivia, I will not let anything else come between us. Nothing. Understand? Nothing."_

_Olivia nodded and Peter pulled her into his arms. He knew things were going to be difficult, but he had to help Olivia through it. For their sake._


	5. Chapter 5

Peter held opene the door of his car that Astrid had brought by for him. She would go back with Olivia to the lab.  
"Thanks," Rini mumbled as she got into the old beat up car.  
Peter leaned in through the door to speak to her, "I'm going to take you back to my house so you can get settled in and then we can go get dinner."  
"I kind of don't have any clothes here," Rini mentioned, sas in her voice.  
Peter sighed, "Right," Peter tapped on the door for a second , thinking, "We'll go to Kohl's and then we'll go to dinner," He said, and shut the door, walking around the car. 

When they got to the store, Rini at first didn't seem interested in the classy cuts and designer labels, but by the time they left, Peter was surprised by what she's chosen.

The first part of their trip yielded Tom-boyish clothes. Black and khaki cargos and solid colored v-neck tee-shirts in reds, purples, and blues.

But as the trip went on, she picked up some girlish items. A few blouses and designer jeans. She even picked a dress of the rack.

As Peter stood at the check out he noticed all the clothes were a perfect size 0. It reminded him of Olivia's perfect body. As he'd learned during his time with Fauxlivia, Olivia wore a size 1 in Rini was their daughter it was definitely something she'd inherited from her.

After they got it all loaded into the car, they went out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. Rini tried to hide it but Peter could tell she was marveling just a little bit.

They sat down and ordered and at first, there was little but silence between them.

Questions had been plaguing him and he finally decided to voice one, "So your home life wasn't great?"

She looked up at him and snorted, "I guess you could say that."

"What was it like?"

"Olivia was the only one there with me. She was always completely immersed in work though. She takes her job so seriously," Peter chuckled. If anyone knew that it was him, " She gets paid a lot but we don't have a lot of money. Most of it goes to my school tuition. _Private school_. Sometimes I wish I were dumb enough to go to public school. It would help if you actually PAID child support."

Peter stared at her. She looked so emotionless as she told him these things. He wished that he could see her get angry, that she would yell at him for all the things he did wrong. Even if it wasn't actually his fault, at least someone would be able to take responsibility for the hurt she'd endured.

But he knew that wouldn't happen. She'd grown up with a version of himself that he'd almost lost by now, and with Olivia who had a constant unwavering will not to loose it in front of others. Rini's had it hard wired into her that you don't give anything away, only if it's necessary, and even then it's better to lie, lie again until you get yourself out.

"Rini, I'm sorry..." it was all be could muster. 

They got back to the house around 10. Walter was already asleep and for that, Peter was thankful. They brought all of her clothes in, which proved to be a bit of a feat, and got Rini settled in.

Rini walked out of the upstairs bathroom in pajamas with wet hair, her bangs sticking to her forehead.

"Rini," He said softly, and she looked up, "Let me know if you need anything."

She smiled a little and nodded, then turned into the guest room for the night.


	6. Chapter 6

The next night, as Peter got off of the phone with Olivia, saying good night, He heard something down the hall. After a second of listening for something he chose to ignore it and opened the door to his room. A second later he heard it again though and stopped listening closer.

He heard the falls and rises, deep breaths of soft sobs coming from down the hall. He turned towards the sound closing the door again behind him and made his way down the hall. He stopped in front of the door to the guest room. He could tell now that it was Rini crying inside.

He knocked softly and suddenly the crying stopped. There was a moment before he heard her call, "Yes?"

"Are you okay?" Peter asked, his nuckles still resting on the door.

"I'm fine," she replied, but Peter heard a rasp in the edge of her voice.

"Rini..." he leaned his head against the door and waited for a response. When none came he gently pushed the door open. He heard the paper of her book russle as she rushed to look busy. He looked at the cover. She'd obviously just picked the first book she could reach from the bookshelf next to the bed.

"If You See the Budha in the Road, huh?" He said sarcastically as he made his way towards her.

"Yeah," she said hoarsly, face still hidden behind the pages, "It's a good book."

Peter nodded, "Uh-huh. What's it about?"

"Well, you know..." her voice caught, "Budha and stuff."

Peter smiled a little but concern quickly clouded his eyes. He leaned down and took the book from her, pulling a stool over from the corner of the room. He sat down next to her and opened to a page that had been dog eared so many times that it almost just flopped over on it's own.

"Of course, one other hypothetical alternative would have been for the child to decide that since she was fine the way she was, there must have been something terribly wrong with her parents," Peter read aloud, "But children need at least the continuing hope that their parents may come to love them. To decide that these crazy parents will never love her, no matter what she does, no matter whom she becomes, would leave a child buried in a depth of despair in which she would surely suffocate and die." Rini looked at him and bit her lip, "You can't change who your parents are, but we can always hope they'll become something better, can't we? You have to imagine the way you want the world to be, and then make it happen."

Tears came to her eyes, "I haven't seen my father in eight months. He left for Iraq the morning of my 14th birthday. He never said goodbye.

He called me the night I got picked up in Jacksonville. Peter said that everything was fine. He wanted me to tell mom that. He didn't say anything else.

We got into an argument. I yelled at him asking why he couldn't come home and show her himself. Why he couldn't come back and be here for us.

I hung up on him and ran. I didn't have a lot of places to go. I was in Jacksonville with Walter.

I ran and the first place I ended up was his lab. I knew he kept his drugs there. I grabbed the first thing I found. Syringes filled some kind of... Pink liquid. I took two of them, but... Nothing happened. I shot two more, and when nothing happened... I broke down. For the first time in years I just... Cried.

I decided I was being weak. I ran out of the lab but I got really dizzy. I began stumbling along and soon I came to another building. I went inside and everything looked abandoned, broken. The last thing I remember seeing was a name painted on the wall. OLIVE D. and then I blacked out."

Peter allowed the silence to settle between them for a moment.

"It's okay to be afraid," he whispered. Her eyes met his and tears welled in them again.

"Peter," her voice cracked and her eyes closed as a tear fell down her cheek.

He suddenly felt an overwhelming need to comfort her. He put his hand on her head and kissed her crown gently. He turned and began to leave quietly.

"Peter," he heard lightly from behind him. He looked back, "Stay... Please."

He smiled sheepishly and returned to the stool beside her bed. He picked up the book again and began reading from a random page.

"You win some, you lose some, and your losses are never made up to you. She will simply have to do without; like it or not, she must face her losses and her helplessness to undo them..."

The next morning, Rini came down the stairs to find Peter setting a plate of eggs and pancakes down on the island in front of a bar stool.

"Good Morning," He said with a grin. She smiled back as she sat down, "How are you this morning?"

"I'm better. I'm good," she half smiled. Peter could sense in her voice, the cadence he found in Olivia's when she was over assuring him.

"Rini," he stated cooly. She looked up at him, "Are you sure?"

She nodded, "I'm not sure how SURE I can actually be right now. Sure got thrown out the window when I ran back in Jacksonville."

Peter smiled at her and laughed, "Okay," he chuckled, pushing off the counter, "Syrup?"

"Sure."

"For that being out the window you still seem to say it a lot." Peter accomplished his goal. She smiled.

Peter brought Rini into the lab with him that day instead of leaving her home like he had the day before. He had to help Walter out with an experiment at first but she seemed to entertain herself.

He was playing poker with her when Olivia came in. Peter looked up and smiled at her.

"I'll be right back," he said placing his cards face down on the table, "No cheating."

"I don't need to cheat," she retorted flirtatiously and giggled.

Peter hopped up and made his way over to Olivia, "Good morning, Beautiful."

Olivia gave him a small smile and leaned up on her toes to kiss him. She glanced at Rini and gave a small smile, but Peter could tell it took effort.

Olivia turned back to Peter, "I have to get some work done... And you have your card game, so lunch?"

"Definitely, Sweetheart," Peter whispered and kissed her again before she headed to her office.

Peter returned to the table and picked up his cards.

Olivia watched them through the window in her office. Peter put down an amazing hand with a cocky grin, but Rini grinned back, raising her eyebrows in deceptive flirtation. She laid down a perfect royal flush, all hearts and Peter scoffed, wide-eyed at her.

She laughed and her bangs swung across her forehead, her long, straight hair falling over her shoulders, covered by the plain red tee-shirt she wore with her khaki cargos that accentuated her legs more than anyone else. Very few people could pull off the outfit and look hot, but Olivia was reminded of one other...

She flicked the blinds shut and allowed silent tears to fall in the pain of her own, unyielding, memories.


	7. Chapter 7

Around one, Peter peeked his head into Olivia's office to see her bent over her tablet.

"Hey sweetheart," He said softly so as not to startle her. She looked up, "Are you ready to go?"

Olivia swept off her glasses and put down the pad, "Uh, yeah I guess. I'm getting pretty hungry."

Peter smiled as she came up next to him, touch his hand to her waist, "Alright, lets go."

Olivia stopped him jusdt before he opened the door tio her office, "Is Rini coming with us?

"Uh… no," Peter looked confused, "No, she went out with Astrid and Walter for lunch."

"Oh," Olivia said, "Ok."

"Ok," Peter said, leading her out of the office.

They went out to lunch and came back about an hour and a half later to find Astrid and thwe others still out.

As they entered the lab, Peter stopped Olivia, "Are you okay? You've seemed…. Distant the last few days."

Olivia bit her lip and shrugged, "I don't know Peter. I mean, you've been so busy these last few days, I just feel…" she shrugged again, trailing off.

Peter suddenly had a regretful look in his eyes, "I am so sorry, sweethear. Listen, why don't you come out to dinner tonight with me and Rini. We could-"

"No," Olivia snapped.

Peter stopped suddenly and looked at her, "What is it with you and Rini?"

"I just… I don't want her around here anymore."

"Why not? She's our _daughter_!" Peter retorted.

"_She is not our daughter_!" Olivia threw back.

"Olivia-"

"Just get rid of her Peter! Get her out of our lives," Olivia's voice broke.

"What do you have against her? She's just a kid!"

"She reminds me of her!" Olivia spat back rashly. She turned away, trying to compose herself and she put her hand to her forehead, "She looks so much like _her_. And she laughs and has fun and… flirts with you. And every time I look at Rini, all I can think of is you with _her_."

"Olivia-" Peter took a step forward, hand outstretched, but she just stepped back, hands up warning him against touching her.

"Just get her gone."

OlIvia rran into her office and slammed the door. Peter heard a gasp behind him and turned to see Rini standing in the doorway.

For a secodn their eyes met before Rini turned and ran too.


End file.
